Dead gray whales were not a rare sight along the US coast. Researchers got to the bottom of the cause of the mysterious mass extinction – and raised the alarm.
Newport – scientists from the Oregon State University have discovered the mysterious mass death of gray whales on the Pacific coast USA investigated and a possible cause was found. Since 2019, over 680 animals have washed up dead on the coast.
The research team examined the population, deaths and body condition of whales over the last 50 years. The scientists then compared this data with the animals’ level of access to their feeding grounds and the abundance of crustaceans and found a clear pattern.
Hundreds of dead gray whales washed up – researchers find the cause
The new study, which is in the October issue of the trade magazine Science appeared, analyzed numerous data for the investigation. These helped the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) mass extinction classified as an “unusual mortality event”. to track down the gray whales.
The analysis by Joshua Stewart’s team from Oregon State University in Newport found that the mass death of gray whales was directly linked to changes in sea ice in the Arctic stands. North Pacific gray whales spend their winters in warm lagoons off Mexico, where they raise their young. However, in summer they migrate to the Arctic to feed on crustaceans.
The giant marine mammals – which can reach lengths of up to 17 meters, weigh up to 35 tonnes and have been shown to live up to 80 years – only spend around four months feeding. They usually fast for the rest of the year. “You really have to stuff yourself during these four months,” explained study leader Stewart.
“We cracked the case”: Researchers probably find the cause of mass deaths of gray whales
“We have sort of cracked the case for these large deaths,” said lead author Josh Stewart opposite NBC News. He explained that the whales’ population appears to be linked to how long sea ice blocks their feeding grounds and how their access to their prey changes.
Climate change: Changes in Arctic ice affect the diet of gray whales
Changes in Arctic sea ice caused by climate change are affecting gray whales’ access to their feeding grounds. Although there were initially more days of sea ice available, the warming of the Arctic affected the quality of the whales’ food: “They can no longer live as well,” Stewart, an assistant professor at the university’s Institute of Marine Mammals, told NBC and pointed out that this decline has severely affected the whales’ diet.
“When there is less sea ice and fewer days with sea ice, the algae no longer reaches the seafloor to generate the productivity that the gray whales need,” the scientist explained. “We know that the resources that gray whales rely on – to feed and reproduce – are already severely impacted by climate change and will be further impacted by climate change.”
We will increasingly live in a world where we will have to deal with impacts that are difficult to reverse and have truly significant impacts on species we care deeply about.
The rapid melting of the poles – the Arctic could be ice-free in ten years – and the changing conditions in the Arctic can significantly impact the livelihoods of gray whales. Fans of this species should be prepared to see fewer of them in the future, says Stewart. “We are increasingly going to live in a world where we have to deal with impacts that are difficult to reverse and have really significant impacts on species that we care deeply about,” he said. “And that’s hard to cope with.”
This discovery highlights the impact of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems and wildlife. In addition to gray whales, Hundreds of dead birds also washed up on the Pacific. The mass death of around ten billion snow crabs off the coast of Alaska is also said to be due to global warming.
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